I'm Right Here
by BakayaroManiac
Summary: [IruKaka]Iruka tries to find a way to tell Kakashi he is in love with him. Short Twoshot fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** I'm Right Here

**Author:** BakayaroManiac (Aida)

**Series:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Iruka x Kakashi (yes little Ruru is seme :D)

**Genre:** General/Romance

**Warnings:** weirdness, OOC , me attempting to write Iruka as seme.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto, Iruka x Kakashi, Raidou x Genma and Kotetsu x Izumo would have been canon pairings. It all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and Shonen Jump.

**Summary:** Iruka tries to find a way to tell Kakashi that he's in love with him.

Iruka had stayed late in the mission room again. The young man was patiently waiting for a certain Copy-nin to hand in his very, very late report. Normally if anyone continuously came late with a report, Iruka would scold said ninja severely. It suddenly mattered less that the nin had been out for weeks, fighting, killing and almost losing limbs and life, Iruka was a very scary man when one didn't give in a report at a right time.

But as it was, Iruka-sensei seemed at first glance to be practicing his patience. People who knew Iruka better, those who worked with the tanned chuunin-sensei or his students, knew the man had incredible patience and the thought of the man practicing it was to them utter bull.

Yet Iruka sat there, waiting for Sharingan Kakashi while correcting jutsu essays written by his elder student class. People who knew Iruka more personally, Kotetsu and Izumo, soon guessed that Iruka had developed a crush on the older man.

Kotetsu had once slung an am around Iruka's neck and jokingly mentioned it on the way to a bar and the chuunin had blushed severely and stuttered very un-Iruka like. Izumo had laughed exclaiming that Iruka should ask him out to Anko's party. Both of Iruka's friends stared when Iruka actually pondered this option with a serious face, swirling his drink gently.

Iruka looked up from his last essay, dotting a final stop and leaning back in the uncomfortable wooden chair, stretching his limbs. It was two hours past his shift, but today was the day before Anko's party and Kakashi-sensei would be turning up and he could ask him out there.

He stood and stepped by the window, noticing by the clock that it was nearing ten thirty. He opened the window, letting a gentle cool breeze brush his face and hair. He took a deep breath, looking over the little yellow dots of the lights in the buildings beneath him from the Hokage tower. Tsunade was probably still working three floors above, sipping her sake as he often had seen her do when he was called up to assist her. Half a year had passed since Naruto had left with Jiraya and Iruka missed him, his high pitched voice screaming for a ramen treat from Iruka's middle where the boy had buried his face in tight hug.

A little group of chubby messenger doves caught his attention, perching on the cable wires dozen feet from his window and he suddenly grinned at the cooing, resting birds. He turned to take a piece of paper and ripped a bunch of slips, crunching them into little balls. He then brought the little handful to the window, aimed and threw a little white ball. There was a surprised squawk and a flutter of wings from one of the birds, stirring up the others. Iruka chuckled to himself while the birds settled again, flicking another one at an angle that hit one in the wing and making it bounce off to flick the bird to its left. They flapped at each other, the one to the left pecking at its innocent and confused comrade. Iruka started laughing gently now entertained for the time being.

"Having fun, Iruka-sensei?" a lazy voice drawled, laced with slight amusement. Iruka whirled around and found no one. "Down here." He looked out the window and found Hatake Kakashi perched on the ninja-sturdy roof of the Hokage tower by his window. Iruka flushed.

"Yo," a gentle wave.

"Kakashi-sensei! Ah, w-welcome back… How was your mission?" The chuunin stepped back to let the taller man step in, putting away the orange book he had his face buried in. Iruka sat by the mission desk and took the report the taller man had digged out from one of his vest pockets. Iruka mentally cringed at the state of the crumpled paper. Thank goodness the man at least had a relatively acceptable handwriting considering the speed rate the characters were written which his trained eyes didn't fail to notice.

"Maa, it was boring. It was just a really long escort mission. The only reason they sent me was because of my reputation and Tsunade-baba wanted to make a good impression." The silver haired jounin smiled, eye crinkling by the force of his cheeks pulling up.

"Lucky you" Iruka deadpanned, earning a little chuckle from Kakashi. Iruka enjoyed talking to the Copy-nin. He knew the older man missed his former students, who had left to pursue their dreams for better or for worse. Both of them had reacted to their departure in a similar way; by burying themselves into their profession and spending as much time from their empty homes as possible. When Iruka had realized that Kakashi was dealing the same way as him, he decided that befriending the Jounin could be good for them both. Iruka had been happy that the other seemed to have consented and gladly shared horror stories from the missions and Iruka, in turn, told him of the years in the academy.

"Ne, Iruka-sensei, how have you been?" gentle tone. The Jounin had perched himself on the desk and Iruka had paused for a short second, staring at the butt –Kakashi's butt- perched on his desk where he had just cleared away papers.

"Ah..?"

"My face is up here." Still that gentle tone. Iruka looked up at him, blushing a little. "I-I'm fine Kakashi. Just working, that's all. Some of us go out for a drink some times…"

"Doesn't it ever bore you?"

_Oh god yes, but I have nothing else to do. _"Ah, it's alright, I guess." Smiles, "I'm saving up for a trip in the summer vacations if Tsunade-sama will give me a little break." Iruka yawned at the last words.

"That sounds like a great plan. But I think I have kept you long enough and you look tired, good night Iruka-sensei." Kakashi slid off the table and started walking towards the window again. Iruka fidgeted. "Kakashi!"

Kakashi stopped one knee already on the windowsill "Hn?"

"Uh… A-are you busy tomorrow night? C-cause Anko's having a party and…"

"I'm sorry Iruka-sensei, I have another mission tomorrow…" Kakashi scratched the back of his head.

"But you just came back from a mission!"

"Aa, but that wasn't exactly a _mission_ - mission. Tsunade still needs me for this last spying job. I'll get a whole month of freedom afterwards!" He added lightly, walking back to Iruka.

Iruka smiled, "You probably need it… Good night Kakashi." The silver haired man patted his back. "Lets go out for Ramen when I get back then. Jaa!" Iruka's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something, but the jounin had already disappeared. Iruka sighed, plunking his forehead on the table.

"I suck!"

**- IxK IxK IxK -**

Anko's party was a success, as usual. Many a jounin and chuunin turned up with drinks and snacks, the music booming and laughter filtered though it. Iruka had been given several cheer-up drinks from Kotetsu and Izumo and he had really enjoyed himself in the beginning. But as the night progressed and people got more drunk and some more frisky,(Anko had felt up his ass three times by now) he decided to get some fresh air. He passed Kurenai who was trying to have Asuma to get up and dance with her and further down the dance floor he could see Kotetsu looking a lot like he was trying to grind a hole through Izumo's pants. He chuckled at the two pairs, stepping out.

His balance was a little off, but he managed to walk, breathing in the cool spring air. He made his way down the street and found his feet taking him down a little, but well-used path, the lack of streetlights there bathed everything around Iruka in a silvery-white moonlight. The sky was completely clear for an almost complete full moon to light up the familiar path.

Iruka's heart sank a little as he moved down the path, trees soon spreading to reveal a small rounded clearing with a paved circle in the middle. A particular sculpture was also placed in the middle decades ago. Names engraved, decades ago, years ago, months, weeks, maybe even a few days ago. His eyes located a spot on the long list of names long before he reached the paved area.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, a silent greeting to the dead as he stoked the engravings of two particular names. After a few moments a loud pop and rustling of clothes startled him and he flipped around immediately taking on a defense position.

"Iruka!" a voice just as startled as he felt.

"K-Kakashi?" Iruka straightened, a hand braced on his thundering chest.

"Maa, did I startle you? Sorry!" He patted Iruka's back gently smiling apologetically.

"Ah, didn't expect anyone to turn up here at this time!" He smiled at Kakashi.

"True. Weren't you supposed to be at Anko's party? I think half the Jounin and Chuunin population is there."

"I bet they are. I don't know… I was there, but… I don't know. Didn't feel like getting smashed alone. You know Kotetsu and Izumo are together right?" Kakashi nodded. "And I think Raidou scored with Genma-san. Oh, and even though Anko constantly tries to flirt with me and molest me, I do have a feeling she has a thing going on with Gai."

Kakashi's visible eye widened comically and Iruka chuckled. "What?"

"No way, she chose Gai - _Maito Gai_ – over _you_?!" He inspected Iruka closer, looking into his eyes. "You sure no one put something in your drink to cause you hallucinations?" Iruka laughed outright, deep from his belly, his eyes shining. The laugh was obviously contagious because Kakashi soon joined the laughter. When they calmed down, Iruka's face flushed and and Kakashi's eye watered, Iruka looked at him.

"What about you? Visiting family before leaving?" Iruka turned to search for the Hatake name on the stone.

"No family, just old friends." He pointed at the stone on a name before the nin who died in battle at the Kyuubi incident. Uchiha Obito. Then the finger filed over the long list of names through the Kyuubi incident to the last name on that particular list. Yondaime.

Iruka looked at both names for a long while. He knew the Yondaime was Kakashi's Genin sensei back then. He only remembered the Uchiha boy vaguely from seeing him as a young child, he assumed that he was probably also on Kakashi's team. He then turned to the Jounin beside him. Kakashi looked tired, the moonlight making his pale skin look as transparent, shiny and white as a ghost. For a brief second Iruka's stomach clenched in fear as his imagination flared making Kakashi look like he was slowly disappearing before his eyes.

He grabbed Kakashi's arms, desperate to know, to feel the man was still there. "Hey…" Kakashi's eyes remained blank. "Kakashi-sensei." He turned Kakashi by the shoulders to look into the eye and patted his cheek gently. The man blinked the eye focusing on Iruka now. "You alright?"

"Aa… I was… speaking to the dead, so to say." He smiled nervously and Iruka saw a small tint of red show just over the edge of the dark facemask from his close proximity. Iruka decided that he looked adorable like that.

"How rude, to speak to the dead when you have a live friend right beside you."

Iruka felt a hesitant hand curl into the fabric of his shirt over his shoulder. A hopeful, almost desperate look in the single grey eye. "We're friends?"

"Of course. And I mean it you don't have to speak to the dead. I'm right here."

Kakashi broke their stare; the hand was now clenching the shirt as he stared at his feet. A long silent moment passed. Then Iruka slowly moved forward and wrapped his arms around Kakashi's firm, but slim waist, one around his torso the other around his lower back, pulling the taller man against his chest. The jounin was tense and his breathing had stilled. Iruka gave him a persistent squeeze which made Kakashi relax considerably. Then slowly he buried his face into the space between Iruka's shoulder and neck and Iruka felt the others chest rise and fall in a deep sigh.

Iruka was surprised at himself. He wasn't blushing or stuttering, his heart wasn't thundering in a wild attept to break through his chest. He finally had Kakashi in his arms and he felt calm and collected. It was wonderful. He smiled at the moon and mentally howled at it in satisfied glee and pride. A small chuckle escaped his lips.

Kakashi turned his face towards him, the spiky grey mess also known as Kakashi's hair, tickled the Chuunin's ear. "What?"

Iruka, turned his head, their faces less than an inch apart. He smiled softly at Kakashi, who was still blushing and judging from the muscle pulling Kakashi's cheeks up and crinkling his eye, the man was smiling back.

Iruka didn't think. If Iruka had thought he would have mentally kicked himself. His mind would have screamed for him to stop. He would have run as far away as possible over the city's rooftops and all the way to his house which he once had shared with loving parents, under the blankets of his bed and stayed there for a long long time, fighting embarrassment. But Iruka wasn't thinking. He was acting on pure impulse for the third time in front of Kakashi.

He tilted his head forward and had his lips pressed firmly to where he assumed Kakashi's lips were under the mask. When Kakashi didn't pull away, he tilted his head a little to the side and felt with his lips where the swell of lips exactly was located. He felt Kakashi shift in his grip, making a little noise then pulled his face away.

"Kakashi… I…" Iruka slowly loosened his hold.

"Stupid mask is in the way." Kakashi pulled the mask down with a free hand and grinned at Iruka, his face completely red now.

Iruka's brain imploded. He damned all the wonderings about what Kakashi's face looked like to Hell and tightened his grip again feeling Kakashi's hands curl into his shirt on his back. Their lips pressed together again and Iruka's heart skipped a beat. Kakashi's lips were incredibly soft and Iruka couldn't resist nibbling the lower lip, getting a small pleased noise from Kakashi.

He licked at the lower lip, parting them and Kakashi shyly opened his mouth to give the younger man access. Iruka slipped his tongue in and licked at Kakashi's getting a hesitant response. He wondered if the Jounin had ever kissed anyone before. The man seemed so shy and hesitating, but Iruka loved that. He loved it even more when Kakashi kissed back with more enthusiasm. None of them cared how long it took for them to finally pull back for precious air; Iruka gave Kakashi's upper lip a little breathless nibble before pulling back and smiling at the pale man.

"Guh…" Kakashi's face was beet red by now, his eye glazed over and judging from the heat Iruka felt in his cheeks, he was pretty sure he sported a blush to rival Kakashi's. The silver haired jounin buried his face in Iruka's shoulder again.

Iruka was gently stroking Kakashi's back and kissing the warm temple. "I think it's time for you to go…"

"Hn? Where?"

"You have a mission Kakashi-sensei" Iruka spoke with mirth in his voice.

"Oh yeah."

Neither moved. Iruka's chest convulsed and he let out a laugh again. Kakashi hummed in response and pulled out of Iruka's grip. He pulled on his mask and stared up at the stars.

"When will you be back? You still owe me ramen."

"In three weeks or so…" Kakashi scrathed the back of his head.

"Then I'll see you in three weeks."

"Sure."

"Jaa matta."

"Jaa!" A rustle of clothes and Kakashi had leaped into the trees and disappeared into the darkness.

Iruka stood there for a while, letting it all sink in. Then he jumped and shouted out loud sounding like someone who just won a long bloody battle. He turned towards the memorial stone and grazed his eyes over the names of his parents, then Obito and Yondaime. "Wish me luck and let him come back safe." He whispered to them and bowed deeply.

**TBC  
IxK IxK Ixk**

Woo I finally wrote an Irukaka fic! Goodness that was about time. I hope this wasn't too bad.

Anyways… I should be drawing art for this fic XD

And tell me, how many of you guys like Iruka seme? Anyone of you who like me think there isn't enough? I'd gladly write (and especially draw) yaoi porn with them if anyone is interested cause I'm better at drawing than writing. I already have a bunch of artworks on Deviantart if anyone is interested in seeing those. (Includes a fanart for Princess Tyler Briefs' fanfiction 'EvenThough')  
linkage is found on my profile.

Love - Aida


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** I'm Right Here

**Author:** BakayaroManiac (Aida)

**Series:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Iruka x Kakashi

**Genre:** General/Romance

**Warnings:** weirdness, OOC

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto, Iruka x Kakashi, Raidou x Genma and Kotetsu x Izumo would have been canon pairings. It all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and Shonen Jump.

**Summary:** Iruka tries to find a way to tell Kakashi that he's in love with him.

Anyway, if this turns out well and I get more ideas, then I'd love to do a sequel. I'm a chronic procrastinator, so it's a miracle you get a chapter two already.

IxK IxK IxK

It was two thirty in the morning and the storm outside had only gotten worse, the thunder booming and the lightening crackling over Konoha while the rain drummed on the rooftops. Iruka turned on his stomach from his sideways position. He was sore all over because it was Friday and on Fridays if he didn't have anything else to do he trained. The training was of course _after_ lessons with the kids and straining his neck while filing mission room papers and taking reports. Iruka was in pain and he was tried and 'BOOM' another loud thunder.

He slammed his head on the pillow muffling an undignified whine. He just wanted to sleep.

Another fifteen minutes passed and the thunder had stilled, now only the drumming of heavy rain. Iruka could handle that. He started dozing, wondering about what Kakashi was doing. It was probably warm out by the Suna borders. He'd never really seen Suna country. But he had heard that it was beautiful there. Good food, interesting culture…

Maybe going to Suna in his vacation would be good.

Warm.

Tap tap tap.

Iruka groaned in his sleep and turned away from the window.

Tap tap tap!

"NNgghhh g'way. I hate you who'ver you are." He buried his head further into the pillow and covered himself more within his blanket.

Knock knock knock knock. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Iruka sat up angrily. "WHAT?!"

He jumped at the sight in the window with a silhouette pressing against the glass and waving. He fell off the bed with a loud thump. The silhouette cringed.

Iruka got up, rubbing his hip and stood by the window. "Kakashi-sensei?" The silhouette flashed the v-sign. Iruka opened the window and helped a limp Kakashi inside. He was cold, soaked through with rain, mud and something that smelled rather fowl. Had the man rolled in a swamp? Underneath it he could faintly smell blood. A lot. He really hoped it wasn't Kakashi's.

"Have you been to the medics?"

Kakashi had decided that slumping against Iruka was nice and warm. "No, I hate it there. I'm not hurt bad…"

Iruka proceeded to drag the tired and dazed man to the bathroom. He had an arm around Kakashi's waist and was partially backing up into the pale blue tiled bathroom. Kakashi felt considerably lighter and his waist was smaller than he remembered. Three weeks. "Let's get you cleaned up…"

Kakashi made a soft noise and was sat on the lidded toilet seat, leaning heavily back. Iruka kneeled and loosened the bandages on Kakashi's calf and folded them before placing them to the side. He proceeded with the other leg and then pulled off the dirty sandals. Kakashi was pulling off his gloves with shivering hands while Iruka stood to start filling up the little bathtub with warm water.

"Did the mission go well?" Iruka broke the silence.

"Mhmm… And was definitely not boring." Iruka smiled at that.

"That's good, I guess." He turned towards the Jounin who had managed to wiggle out of his shirt, headband and mask to reveal more mud, swamp-muck-stuff and blood on marble skin. Iruka tried to ignore the memory of… interesting dreams he had about the person in front of him the past weeks. _No, bad Iruka! Hurt smelly man needs help! _He grabbed the showerhead. "Come here…" He grabbed Kakashi under his elbow and pulled him up.

Kakashi just stood and stared at him only in his pants, face flushing again.

Silence.

Dark brown eyes roll.

"Strip."

A grey eye widened and more red appeared under the white skin. "Whuh?!"

Iruka was blushing too now. "Baka, I won't molest you. I have to wash you clean before you can soak in the bathtub. Now strip."

"You sure you won't do anything?" Iruka knew Kakashi was embarrassed to a point where joking was his only way out. But the man was complying and pulling off the rest of his clothes. Iruka really tried not to stare.

"Oh yes I quite enjoy someone who smells like rotten foliage and decayed fish." He deadpanned. Kakashi chuckled while Iruka started washing warm water over his head until the man stopped shivering. He then pulled out a little stool and made the man sit in it and gave him a cloth to clean himself. Iruka took another cloth himself and settled behind him to get the grime off.

He tried to be as gentle as he could around the wounds, Kakashi winching from time to time, but managed to clean them, not finding anything serious. "You're lucky none of this is infected…"

Kakashi hummed in agreement while inspecting a cut on his chest. Iruka ran his fingers over the taller mans back with no real thought crossing his mind. Kakashi shivered at the touch and Iruka noticed a little red creep up his neck. He hadn't expected Kakashi to blush that much under the mask. But then again, he was pale as an eggshell. He bent down and took the showerhead again and stood in front of Kakashi, bending his head forward to wash his hair clean, running his free hand through. Kakashi complied watching the dark water make its way down the slightly tilted tiles to the drain and disappear. "Mh, this is much better than the medics."

"I thought you'd like having nurses to clean you up."

"Maa, they don't give scalp massages. Feels great!"

Iruka smiled and turned the showerhead off. Kakashi decided then to shake his head spraying all over like an oversized dog. "Augh! Kakashi! You're soaking me! Get up you weirdo!" He took Kakashi's hands and pulled him up to stand, albeit a little unsteadily. "God I hope you don't do this to the nurses!"

"Why should it be worse with the nurses?" Kahashi looked up at him while descending into the warm water of the bathtub.

Iruka blushed. "Y'know… Their clothes are white and…Eh…"

"Oh?"

A pause. Then realization hits.

"_Oooh!" _Kakashi was obviously a little slow tonight. "Irukaaa! You dirty man! No, hey wait!" He grabbed the retreating mans sleeve, stopping him. "Don't go! Irukaaa…" The tanned man was coaxed into sitting beside Kakashi, his shirt splattered wet and trying not to look too embarrassed. He took Iruka's hand and gave him a puppy look. "I want you to stay. You make me feel better."

The Chuunin's eyes widened. It was completely unexpected and Iruka could not help smiling warmly. He bent forward and kissed Kakashi gently, running a hand through his hair. "I'm glad that you feel better. You looked pretty screwed up when you came in. All the blood worried me with your pale skin. Now just soak here a little. I'll go find you something to wear and some bandages." He stood and went through a closet in the bedroom, finding a pair of faded blue sweatpants and the first aid kit.

Then Kakashi was dried off, had his wounds treated and patched up. The sweatpants hung a little on his slim hips, but the length fit and Iruka ushered him to bed. Sitting at the edge of the bed beside Kakashi, he pondered joining the man, but even though he'd just manhandled the Jounin half the night through, he felt unsure about staying.

Kakashi found a way out for him by tugging at his shirt and mumbling a tired thank you. The brown haired Chuunin tucked his hair behind an ear and bent down to kiss Kakashi again and after a little tugging and a childish whine from Kakashi, he too ended up under the blankets.

Then there was some more shifting around in the bed when Iruka pulled off his wet shirt and threw it away. They settled in the bed, Iruka on his side and Kakashi on his back resting his head on a tanned arm. A few minutes passed and they had both fallen into a much needed sleep.

**IxK IxK IxK**

When Iruka awoke it was past noon and the thin layer of clouds outside were obscuring the sun, lighting everything up in a clear grayish white hue. Kakashi had hardly moved from his position beside him. Face unmasked, grey hair covering the left side of his face and hid the vertical scar. He looked paler than usual with deep circles under his eyes and his lips were a little chapped. He also needed a shave.

It was an odd sight, Iruka's arm stood out against the almost white cheek resting on it. Kakashi was almost greyscale in the crisp light, like a colourless picture. A ghost. He almost looked transparent again.

So many shades of gray.

The faint sound of the neighbour's dog barking pulled him out of his musings and he felt more than heard his stomach rumble. He shifted and gently slid out his arm from underneath Kakashi's head. He propped up a pillow under in stead and practically rolled out of the warm sheets. Kakashi shifted a little, but didn't wake.

Iruka threw his shirt in the hamper with the rest of Kakashi's soiled clothes and cleaned his windowsill and floor off. When he was done fifteen minutes later, he found himself a clean white t-shirt and shuffled around in the kitchen.

He was almost done with cooking the miso soup when he heard Kakashi pad his way into the kitchen with a bleary look on his face. "Mmh..."

"Ohayo to you too." Iruka answered and turned to look at him. "How do you feel?"

"Headache... Chakra depletion." He indicated towards his left eye. Iruka went in and got him a plain old headband and painkillers. "I hope you like miso."

"Sure, It smells great" he answered while sitting a little stiffly in the chair. He bound the headband over his left eye(Iruka caught a glimpse of deep red), swallowed the pills dry and thanked Iruka when he was handed a bowl of steaming soup. They ate in silence and Iruka waited for Kakashi to be a little more coherent.

"I'm sorry I just barged in on you like this, Iruka-sensei... I passed your house on the way home and I just..." Kakashi laughed a little embarrassedly, "I wanted to see if you were... there. I mean, I didn't think you were dead or... Shit." He turned his face away from Iruka a hand obscuring his lower face.

"Don't worry about –"

"I'm sorry I was so harsh to you at the Chuunin nominations!" Kakashi suddenly burst out. "I was wrong, I see that now. They were not ready to go—"

"Kakashi!" Iruka stilled at the look in Kakashi's good eye. It was clear and sharp, cutting into him.

"I completely disregarded your judgement and your profession. I couldn't even stop Sasuke from doing what I did when I was his age! I couldn't explain it to him and all because I've acted like a lazy asshole around them! They became stronger, yes, but they managed most of it themselves. If I had been more aware... if..." He broke their stare, focusing on the empty bowl.

Iruka who had sagged in his chair from the outburst, regarded the older man for a long moment. "Kakashi... You couldn't have known a band of Sound nin would sneak up and take him away. We were all too busy with the damn village being reconstructed. Besides, this determination has been Sasuke's sole life goal since his parents were murdered. Before he got friends and even before I had him as my student. It's been sitting too deep inside of him for too long and he has been left alone on all the wrong times sine Itachi left." Kakashi looked up at him, his gaze softer than before. Iruka grabbed a cold hand and squeezed it.

"We will get him back. Alive, healthy and safe, I know we will." He said with complete determination in his voice. "I'd like to add that I was sceptic of the way you taught. I also believed you were a lazy jerk from the babbles I heard from Naruto, but you managed to teach them and train them well." Kakashi managed a little smile from the comment about Naruto. "I kept an eye of every one of you crazy Jounin who got my first graduation of kids under your questionable mercy. But their progress was better than I had expected. If anyone could be able to get Sasuke back it will be them. All of them. " He stood then, letting go of Kakashi's hand and let the man think while he cleared off the table. Kakashi had leaned back and was staring out the window.

"Thanks," he muttered softly Iruka barely heard it. When the Chuunin was done he padded back to Kakashi and smiled at him. Kakashi looked up, face still bare and an honest, almost innocent look in his eyes. He smiled back.

"You're very handsome underneath that mask you know..."

"I looked in the mirror Iruka-sensei. I look like shit."

"Well one smart guy said to look underneath the underneath." Iruka winked.

"Hm... Did he now...?" Kakashi felt a hand run through his hair and Iruka bent down to kiss him soundly on the lips. He could really get used to this. Iruka definitely had skills with those hands and mouth.

Iruka pulled back. "Y'know Naruto likes you a lot, he always used talk about you to me when you guys came back from missions." Kakashi chuckled.

"He rambled on how a lazy perverted and always late jerk I am, hm?"

"Ah, but one interesting detail made me refrain from giving you a lecture and or kick your ass. He always called you a pervert, but he never mentioned your book besides telling me you read it a lot. Naruto always babbles too much, so he'd have told me you let him have a look if you did. But you were such a good boy Kakashi," Iruka whispered the last part to his ear, Kakashi shivered.

"I know better than to cross you ever again..." Kakashi answered. "I've already been lucky enough to not have you perform some sort if revenge on me for the Chuunin-exam incident." He wrapped an arm around Iruka's waist and rested his face against a firm chest.

Iruka smiled at the almost Naruto-like gesture and ruffled the silver hair. "Ne Iruka-sensei-

"Just call me Iruka."

"Iruka, then," Kakashi blushed a little of the prospect of intimacy. "Did you happen to find my Icha Icha book?"

"Yes, I'm sorry Kakashi, it didn't survive the soak... There was a hole in the plastic bag you put it in..."

Kakashi stood grabbing Iruka's arms. "No!"

Iruka's eyes widened at the serious look Kakashi was sending him. _Whoa... didn't know the book was that important..._ Kakashi's eye was actually shining with tears and Iruka was crudely reminded that painkillers were mind altering in very unpredictable ways and to add Kakashi's obvious chakra depletion, it seemed to hit the Jounin very hard. "K-kakashi?"

Tears had already soaked through the bandage from Obito's eye. "M-my... my book... My precious _autographed_ book..."

Iruka's heart clenched with guilt. There were really few things more heartbreaking than watching a man cry. Kakashi was practically hyperventilating by now so Iruka grabbed the pale trembling hands that were gripping his biceps tightly. "Kakashi, calm down I was just kidding! I left your book in the living room."

Kakashi stared, then twisted out of Iruka's grip and made a dash towards the living room. He managed halfway before he fell over without the slightest warning. Iruka gave a surprised shout and ran to the fallen man. He lifted Kakashi and turned him on his back.

Kakashi was snoring lightly.

**IxK IxK IxK**

It was Monday and Iruka had been working at the mission room again and was mostly just looking forward to going home for the first time in years. Kakashi was recovering just fine. After he had fainted the man had slept twelve hours straight and when he woke up, he looked much better. Good enough for Iruka to coax some solid food into him and make him write a mission report he could deliver back to the Hokage. That Sunday night when they settled to bed, Iruka had looked at his sleeping companion and realized that he had showed Kakashi that he loved him without even telling. He had wrapped both arms around the sleeping form, pulled him close and kissed him. He really didn't have the words to tell him how he felt anyway.

"So how was it?" Kotetsu asked as he wrapped an arm around Iruka's neck, his dark dread-locks tickling the Chuunin's cheek.

"How was what?"

Genma grinned from where he was sitting and talking to Raidou. "We know Kakashi is staying at your place! Spill! Is he any good?"

"Who told you that!?"

"Tsunade-sama." Kotetsu said with a bright toothy smile. Iruka sent a mental curse at her and opened his next file, promptly ignoring the three men. It looked kind of stupid when he was tucked in the crook of Kotetsu's arm.

"Iruka! Tell us!" Genma whined. Raidou, blessed _blessed_ sweet Raidou Iruka thought, just kept quiet even though he looked just as curious.

"Come on guys, he JUST came back! He's still humping around on cutches!"

"CRIPPLE SEX!" Genma never got to dodge the pencil cup that came flying to connect with the centre of his forehead, knocking him out and off the chair he was sitting in. Iruka was fuming at the comment while the two rest were staring at Genma disbelievingly. Even Raidou didn't move to help his fallen boyfriend.

Iruka sat down from where he had jumped up. "I did not have sex with him."

"But are you... together now?" Raido asked with genuine interest. Iruka scratched his nose, his face turning a little pink.

"I think so... I mean, he took off his mask for me. That's a good sign right?"

There was a gasp from both ninja and even Genma sat up and stared at him.

"You SAW Hatake Kakashi's FACE!?" All three exclaimed.

At that point Anko had decided to drop by with her report along with Kurenai and Gai. There was a pause where everyone just stared at him.

_'Shit,'_ Iruka thought as blast of mixed questions assaulted him.

**Owari**

Argh FINALLY done. This chappie was so hard for me to write. But I really enjoyed it!  
Hope you guys liked it! XD

And thank you all so much for reviewing! I LOVE YOU!

Love – Aida


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